Tube-cleaner.



No. 650,45l. Patented May 29, I900.

J. J. BYERS.

TUBE CLEANER.

(Application filed Oct. 20, 1899.)

(No-Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES J. BYERS, OF PENSACOLA, FLORIDA.

TUBE-CLEANER SPEGIFICA'IXON forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,451, dated May 29, 1900. Application filed October 20, 1899. Serial No. 734,244. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may comer n:

Be it known that 1, JAMES J. BYERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pensar' cola, in the county of Escambia and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tube-Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to tube-cleaners for boiler or other tubes; and one object is to provide a device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in construction and adapted to thoroughly clean a tube, not only removing accumulated soot, but so constructed as to also remove any deposit which may adhere to the walls of the tube.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for detachably securing the cleaning-blades to their support, so that they may be quickly removed for sharpening.

Acharacteristic feature of the construction is that the cleaning-blades are so twisted and relatively arranged as to present only the cutting edges thereof in contact with the walls of the fines.

The construction of the improvement will be fully described hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and its novel features will be defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tube-cleaner embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

The reference-numeral l designates a rod formed at one end with a square head 2 and threaded at its opposite end 3 for attachment to any suitable operating rod or handle.

To opposite sides of the head 2 are secured double cleaners or cutters, each preferably formed from a single piece of sheet metal capable of being sharpened to a cutting edge and having a flat central portion or body 4, terminating at both ends in a spirally-twisted cutting-blade 5. Each of these blades is formed with an integral wing 6, and said blades taper in width from their inner to their outer ends, the outer free ends 7 being reduced to a wedge-shaped point.

The cleaners are secured in position upon the head 2 by two parallel bolts 8 and 9.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the blades are spi- I 10 on either side of the head 2 will 'coact to present a spiral cutting-surface against the surface of the tube.

11 designates a circular, brush, the disk 12 of whichis formed with an opening 13,through which the head 2 and the body4i of the cleaners extend. This brush is secured in position by four angle-brackets 14-, arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the head 2, the horizontal arms of said brackets being secured by the same bolts 8 and 9 which secure the cleaners, and the vertical arms of the brackets by bolts 15, which extend through the disk or body of the brush.

The utility and operation of the cleaner will be readily understood. The cutting edges of the blades effectually scrape away all soot deposited upon the walls of the tube, the spiral disposition of the blades serving to insure a free movement of the device through the flue in either direction.

It will be apparent that the blades may be quickly removed for sharpening or renewal by merely removing the two securing-bolts 8 and 9.

I claim- 1. In a flue-cleaner, the combination with a rod having an enlarged squared end, of blades each spirally twisted in opposite directions, and tapered in width to a point at each end, flattened central portions to the blades arranged upon opposite sides of the squared end of the rod, a brush mounted upon the squared end and the blad es thereon, brackets secured to the brush, and a bolt at each side of the brush engaging with said brackets, blades and squared end of the rod, for detachably securing the same together.

2. In a flue-cleaner, the combination with a rod having an enlarged squared end, of blades each consisting of a single piece of sheet metal having its ends tapered in width to a point and-spirally twisted in opposite directions to each other, an offset wing to each blade conforming to the spiral twist thereof, flattened central portions to said blades arranged upon opposite sides of the squared end of the rod, a circular brush having a squared opening theret-hrough for the reception of the squared end of the rod and the blades thereon, brackets secured to opposite sides of the brush, and a belt at each side of the brush engaging with and detaehably securing said brackets, blades and rod together. i

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES J. BYERS.

\Vitn e sses:

GEO. F. MORGAN, J NO. E. MAXWELL. 

